


Shifting and Drawing

by F-117 Nighthawk (F117_Nighthawk)



Series: Keep it Real, Trust Your Dreams (and Soon You'll Stand Here Next to Me) [6]
Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Legends - All Media Types, Star Wars Legends: X-Wing Series - Aaron Allston & Michael Stackpole
Genre: Fluff, M/M, Sleepy Cuddles, Wedge thinks a good pilot is a sexy pilot yes/yes?, happy star wars day have some gay, plans coming to a head, pre battle of Coruscant
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-04
Updated: 2020-05-04
Packaged: 2021-03-02 22:21:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,818
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24004267
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/F117_Nighthawk/pseuds/F-117%20Nighthawk
Summary: Tycho and Emtrey rescue the Rogues. Meanwhile, Loor quests after the identity of the Headhunter pilot and the Coruscant Invasion Fleet prepares to jump.
Relationships: Wedge Antilles/Tycho Celchu
Series: Keep it Real, Trust Your Dreams (and Soon You'll Stand Here Next to Me) [6]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1719898
Kudos: 4





	Shifting and Drawing

**Author's Note:**

> you know, the way I write them it's hard to believe none of the Rogues have completely figured it out by now.

Wedge hung onto the back of Emtrey’s chair, eyes following the black and gold Headhunter the speeder was following through Coruscant’s streets. The ship was a beauty, even as old as it was. He could see it in the ease that it twisted around tight turns and slipped under bridges. The snubfighter’s engines were in perfect shape, missiles and lasers tuned to the needs of urban warfare, variable-geometry wings working smoothly. He watched as they shifted back to neutral and the ship slunk into a small opening in the side of a building. The action was smooth as a Quarren in water. 

_ Of course, _ he thought at Emtrey slipped the speeder in behind it,  _ the ship is nothing without the pilot. _

By the time the rest of the team was out of the speeder and inspecting their new surroundings, Tycho had the Headhunter on standby and was pulling his helmet and gloves off. Wedge ducked under its nose to meet Tycho as he slid out of the cockpit. “If you keep doing that I’m going to be hard-pressed to keep my hands to myself.”

Tycho laughed. “Swooping in to save your ass or piloting one of these beauties?”

“I’m gonna go with both, but the piloting in larger measure.”

Wedge was within reaching distance now, prompting Tycho to slip a finger under his chin and tilt his face up to meet him. “I do hope you still remember how to keep your eyes on your own stick.” Tycho murmured against his lips.

“It’s not  _ my _ fault your piloting is sexy.”

Tycho immediately lost all the suave composure, breaking into giggles that bumped their foreheads together. He settled for tugging the other into a proper hug. “Hello to you too, Wedge.”

Wedge folded into his arms willingly, snaking his own under the other’s. He’d been longing to press an ear to Tycho’s chest and feel his heartbeat since the message had come in about Noquivzor. Here, wrapped up in his partner’s arms, was the safest he’d felt since they entered Coruscant. 

That, of course, didn’t stop the hiss of pain when Tycho squeezed a little too hard. Tycho immediately let go, moving his hands to Wedge’s shoulders with a stern look in his eyes. “Wedge.”

“I was getting to it, I just wanted to see you first.”

“Is it still the infection?”

Wedge shook his head and held up his freshly scarred hand. “The ryll took care of it. Thank you, by the way. A bunch of concussion missiles got blown up in the warehouse and I got thrown in the wrong direction. It’s just a rib or two.”

Tycho sighed and shifted his hold to guide Wedge around the Headhunter back into the safehouse propper. “Emtrey, can you find me one of the medpacks?”

“Of course, Captain Celchu.”

The droid beelined deeper into the safehouse, while the rest of the Rogues circled up around them. “Quite the secret, Commander,” Nawara said with a raised eyeridge.

Wedge glanced at the six Headhunters arrayed around hidden exits in the safehouse. “Well, I confess I didn’t know about the paint jobs. Particularly the bright magenta and blue one. Really, Tycho?”

Tycho gasped in mock offense. “I beg your pardon, Commander, but that one is the best of the lot!”

“Yeah, I bet it really keeps the Imps off the others.”

“It blends in with the neon holoboards quite well. Good for sneak attacks.”

Wedge snorted, envisioning the Headhunter hovering in front of a holoboard advertising some gaudy shoes that cost more than all the equipment in the safehouse. Even the twinge of pain from his ribs did nothing to kill the smile on his face. “I’m sorry for not informing anyone, but operational security takes precedence.”

“Even from Admiral Ackbar?” Iella asked with a raised eyebrow.

“No one ever explicitly said that Captain Celchu couldn’t end up on Coruscant with us. NRI just refused to insert him themselves. I burned a few favors I earned in my smuggling days.”

Gavin was trying not to look like he was gaping at him, muttering something about  _ Commander Antilles was a smuggler? _ but Wedge chose to ignore that. Winter rolled her eyes with a half-smile. “You know, I’m still surprised no one’s written you up for creatively interpreting your orders.”

“I learned from the best. Speaking of orders, however, we have our new timetable. Tomorrow night, Coruscant’s shields need to be down. To do that, we need to be at full strength. That means food and rest for everyone, and we need to find out what happened to Corran, Mirax, and the Black Sun team.”

Ooryl raised a hand. “Ooryl has saved enough sleep to be at max capacity for the next two days. Ooryl volunteers to find Corran and the others.”

Wedge nodded. “Alright. Take Emtrey and the speeder with you. Anyone else?”

Rhysati raised a hand “I’m too pumped up to sleep, and they might need a medic. I at least remember enough of the emergency aid course to be helpful.”

“You three head out to the rendevous points; the warehouse is probably still crawling with stormies. Emtrey has the location of this base for when you need to head back. He also has the comm code that is linked directly to my and Captain Celchu’s comms. Let us know when you’re on your way back or if you need Headhunter backup.”

Ooryl and Rhysati saluted before heading to the speeder. Emtrey handed Tycho a medkit and followed. Tycho gave Wedge a pointed look, who nodded. “Everyone else, raid the medkits if you need it, and get some sleep.”

* * *

The Rogues had escaped.

Kirtan Loor frowned down at the datapad holding the report. A black and gold Z-95 Headhunter and an airspeeder had suddenly appeared on the scene, killing all but two of the stormtroopers that had been after the Rogues and extracting every one to places unknown. There were no reports of presence at any of the weapons caches that he’d already ordered hit, no Rebels at the two extraction points Thyne had given him. 

Someone was going to pay, and it would quite possibly be him. There were ways he could spin this as yes, the Rogues had been prevented from putting their code on the computer, but Isard would not be happy. 

Loor tapped at the datapad, pulling up the footage that had been captured of the Headhunter from one of the stormtrooper’s helmets. The snubfighter was obviosuly in good repair, given how smoothly it reacted to the pilot’s commands. And the pilot… Loor watched as the Headhunter twisted through Imperial Center’s narrow streets. They had obviously logged dozens if not hundreds of hours on the Headhunter and very similar X-Wing. The pilot was good.  _ Rogue-level good. _ But with the reports cobbled together from Thyne and the original spy, all the Rogues were accounted for within the warehouse. So who was it?

“Agent Loor, Madame Director requests a report.”

* * *

Gavin yawned sleep from his eyes and rolled off one of the cots. It was the sole cot that had not been situated under an overhang, which he had ended up with, he was fairly certain, by his fascination with the fact that  _ water could fall from the sky. _

The fascination had worn off. Very quickly.

He sighed and wiped the water off of his face. Looking around revealed he was one of two awake: Winter was sitting at their sole table, tapping on a datapad with a mug of caff covered by another pad to protect it from the dripping ceiling. Gavin started making his way over to her but paused at another sight around a wall of crates.

Captain Celchu was asleep, sitting up leaning against a wall, but given the way his head was lolled to the side, most definitely asleep. The reason he was sitting up was that Commander Antilles was also asleep, his head pillowed on the Captain’s thigh and one hand curled slightly under it like he was trying to cuddle the Captain even in their perpendicular position. 

Huh.

Gavin looked at the two of them for a moment before continuing on his way to the table and the supply crates next to it. He didn’t sit down, however, instead pulling two blankets out of a crate and making his way back. One he lay over the Commander and the other he shuffled around the Captain’s shoulders while making sure it didn’t disturb the Commander. Satisfied, he stood there a moment more, studying his handiwork. 

Winter looked up at him as he sat down across from her, then glanced over at the newly blanketed commanding officers. She smiled and pushed the cup of caff over to him. He took the gesture of thanks and gratefully downed the caff. Giving them a little more comfort in sleep was the least he could do given the situation.

* * *

Admiral Ackbar resisted the urge to pace the deck of  _ Home One. _ The flagship of the Alliance fleet hung over Borealis, waiting while the Coruscant Invasion Fleet swarmed into being around it.  _ Emancipator _ and  _ Liberator _ stood at the head of the fleet, and just beyond was the  _ Corusca Rainbow. _ He looked at the chono on his chair. Five minutes until the  _ Rainbow _ would step into hyperspace, and with that, there would be no going back.

“Admiral.”

“General Salm.” Ackbar glanced behind him at the Human. “How goes preparations?”

“Defender Wing is all moved in, as are Angel and Ebon wings. Morale is high; we all know how important this is. I did get a few questions as to where Rogue Squadron is. I think my response of “classified” has most people thinking they’re either on the  _ Corusca Rainbow _ or Coruscant already. I also keep getting calls from two specific X-Wing pilots requesting temporary transfers to Angel Wing or, I quote, “just drop us on Wedge, he can handle it.””

Ackbar laughed. “Tell Captains Klivian and Janson that we need them in reserve in case Rogue Squadron runs into difficulties. I recognize their abilities, which is  _ why _ I did not let Antilles pull them in as well.”

“Will do, Sir.”

The comm clicked and General and Admiral turned back towards the viewport.  _ “Home One, _ this is the  _ Corusca Rainbow,” _ Captain Ulior’s voice filtered through, “We are ready for hyperspace jump.”

_ “Corusca Rainbow, _ this is Admiral Ackbar. You are clear for hyperspace jump. May the Force be with you.”

“Acknowledged, Admiral. Commencing jump. May the Force with you as well.”

The interdictor cruiser flickered into hyperspace, a bright light that soon faded into the stars. Within the hour, the main fleet would jump. Within fourteen, the  _ Rainbow _ would revert back to realspace just on the outside of the Coruscant system, and within fifteen they would know the results of Rogue Squadron’s efforts.

The first card had been played; the great sabacc game surrounding Coruscant was about to come to an end. 


End file.
